Sheldon Keefe: 'Lots of potential' in loaded-up Nylander-Tavares-Marner line

The new-look lineup the Toronto Maple Leafs have been icing recently has been one of the biggest topics in the stratosphere of late. When a month-long injury to Mitch Marner forced the Leafs to get creative up front, it produced a line that it would appear the Leafs are going to use going into the playoffs, that line being Auston Matthews in the middle with Tyler Bertuzzi and Max Domi on either side.

Sheldon Keefe’s faith in this line was confirmed when Marner returned to the lineup and was slotted in alongside John Tavares and Bobby McMann, bumping William Nylander down to the third line and giving the Leafs a newfound “triple threat” look up front. Marner has been back for four games and has skated on the second line in each of them, tallying five assists across those games. Simultaneously, Matthews has goals in seven straight games, nine total over that span, and has five goals in the four games Marner has been back for, so neither party is suffering without skating alongside their most familiar linemate.

While it’s been tough sledding for Nylander, who is without a goal in his last eight games with only two assists during that span, his chances haven’t slowed down and he will always draw the eyes of his opponents regardless of if he’s on a hot streak or not. And even though he’s been on the third line for the past few games, there are still going to be lots of opportunities for him in the top six going into the postseason, and Keefe confirmed this at practice.